News: The brands set to open at Parkgate in March

Next month is set to be a busy time at Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham, with new outlets, big store moves and the return of a familiar name.

Wilko recently announced that it was to launch a concept store in Rotherham, and new owners have now confirmed that the opening date will be Good Friday, March 29.

Rothbiz reported last month that recruitment was underway for a wilko after The Range agreed a deal to buy the British high-street retail chain's brand, website and intellectual property after wilko fell into administration. The store has already recruited a third of its team from among former wilko employees, who received prioritised interviews.

It was later confirmed that Wilko would open in Rotherham at Parkgate Shopping Park - on the site of the former wilko business.

Alex Simpkin, CEO of CDS Superstores, trading as wilko and The Range, said: “It’s clear that there’s a huge love for wilko and we’re proud that store doors will reopen in Rotherham very soon.

“We’re also glad to be bringing employment opportunities to the area, and for helping local families and communities to have easy access to all the everyday home and garden items they need once again.”

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Across the park, which was recently sold to Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate, work is well underway to bring a large vacant store back into use.

The Frasers Group has taken over what has previously been Homebase, Best Buy, Kiddicare and an outlet for JD Sports Fashion plc's outdoor brands - Millets and Blacks.

An updated set of plans from Frasers was approved by Rotherham Council last year allowing for the creation a partial mezzanine for a gym measuring 22,646 sq ft.

Fraser's Everlast Gym has announced that it is opening in Rotherham in March.

It is set to contain six unique group training concepts - HAYMAKER, HUSTLE, CRANKED, BREATHE, BACKBONE, and APEX to improve the strength, stamina and well-being of members. There's also a flavore bar serving freshly made smoothies, coffees and other post-workout fuel.

The main operator on the ground floor is to be Sports Direct and plans showed 6,000 sq ft of space on the ground floor for Fraser Group retailer, USC, along with smaller space for GAME and Evans Cycles. A 7,000 ft unit is also included which could be sub-let by the group.

The new development would mean the relocation of Sports Direct and USC which already have units at Parkgate.

The construction of a new £12m transport scheme at Parkgate is also scheduled to end in March 2024.

Work began at the start of 2023 on a new 800 metre road between Aldwarke Lane and both Stonerow Way and Stadium Way which is set to provide a second access route to Parkgate Shopping, via a roundabout between the two railway bridges.

Parkgate Shopping website
wilko website
Frasers Group website

Images: Google Maps / Everlast Gyms

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News: National retailer ready to revamp empty Rotherham unit

A national chain has been given the green light to revamp a large Rotherham retail unit that has had many uses in recent years.

Since Homebase at Parkgate Shopping closed a decade ago, the large unit has been used by Best Buy, Kiddicare and as an outlet for JD Sports Fashion plc's outdoor brands - Millets and Blacks.

Rothbiz reported last year that a planning application had been submitted showing that the Frasers Group was eyeing up the vacant store.

Founded by Mike Ashley in 1982, Frasers Group is now a collection of iconic retail brands - notably Sports Direct, Flannels, GAME and USC.

An updated set of plans from Frasers has now been approved by Rotherham Council that would allow the creation a partial mezzanine for a gym measuring 22,646 sq ft.

The main operators would be Sports Direct and Everlast Fitness Club. Plans also show 6,000 sq ft of space on the ground floor for Fraser Group retailer, USC, along with smaller space for GAME and Evans Cycles. A 7,000 ft unit is also shown which could be sub-let by the group. External alterations include the central entrance feature being moved to the side with another entrance being added.

Sports Direct and USC already have units at Parkgate.

Included in earlier plans, space for designer brand retailer, Flannels has been removed.

As the proposals would take the retail space of the unit up to nearly 70,000 sq ft, and the site is classed as out of town, a retail assessment and sequential test is also included.

Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

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Approved without going before the council's planning board, planning officers agree that there are no more sequentially preferable sites within allocated centres that are suitable or available to accommodate the proposed development which is based on Sports Direct’s business model to co-locate retailing with a gym. Planners also broadly agree that the application would have no impact on the vitality and viability of any centre.

A decision report adds: "The application site is located within Parkgate Retail Park which is the most successful retail destination in Rotherham Borough. The health check of Rotherham Town Centre within the Retail and Leisure Study focuses on the pressures on the Town Centre arising from competition from Parkgate Retail Park, Meadowhall and the proximity of Sheffield City Centre. The Town Centre has a restricted catchment and a weak market penetration within that catchment. Vacancy rates are a chronic issue in the Town Centre.

"However, there is a strategy to diversify uses and the Council’s Annual Monitoring Report indicates that vacancies do not provide a true reflection of the health of the Centre. The Forge Island Leisure Quarter and developments at Rotherham Market and Riverside Gardens will help to diversify the range of uses within the centre and introduce new activity.

"The Retail and Leisure Study indicates that the health and fitness and gym provision in and around Rotherham Town Centre has been dominated by the Rotherham Leisure Complex. However, since the publication of the Study there has been growth in the gym market. There is now I-Motion Gym, The Gym Group, and JD Gym in the Parkgate area and north of the Town Centre. The Oasis Health Club, Bannatyne’s and gym facilities at the Holiday Inn Hotel at West Bawtry and the Hellaby Hall Hotel at Hellaby provide facilities in the wider Rotherham area. The only gym within the town centre at Rotherham is Next Level Fitness at Quarry Hill.

"It is evident that the health and fitness provision is not a key component of the vitality and viability of Rotherham Town Centre or indeed any other designated centre nearby."

In granting permission, a condition has been included to restrict the disaggregation of the gym and the retail units at a later date, as well as one to stop the new space being subdivided into smaller units.

Frasers Group website

Images: Google Maps

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News: National retailer updates plans for large empty Rotherham unit

A national chain is working out how to take on a large Rotherham retail unit that has had many uses in recent years.

Since Homebase at Parkgate Shopping closed a decade ago, the large unit has been used by Best Buy, Kiddicare and as an outlet for JD Sports Fashion plc's outdoor brands - Millets and Blacks.

Rothbiz revealed in Januray that a planning application had been submitted showing that the Frasers Group was eyeing up the vacant store.

Founded by Mike Ashley in 1982, Frasers Group is now a collection of the world’s most iconic brands - notably Sports Direct, Flannels, GAME and USC.

The January plans, drawn up by Jigsaw Planning, show how the unit would be transformed with the installation of a mezzanine comprising of 22,400 sq ft retail floorspace and additional 20,400 sq ft gym.

The latest application updates the proposal with the group now only wishing to create a partial mezzanine for a gym at 22,646 sq ft.

The main operators would be Sports Direct and Everlast Fitness Club. Plans also show 6,000 sq ft of space on the ground floor for Fraser Group retailer, USC, along with smaller space for GAME and Evans Cycles. A 7,000 ft unit is also shown which could be sub-let by the group.

Sports Direct and USC already have units at Parkgate.

Space for designer brand retailer, Flannels has been removed.

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The application explains: "In 2014 Sports Direct bought out the LA Fitness chain of gyms and underwent a rebranding to Sports Direct/Everlast Fitness gyms. Once this rebranding was complete, the next step in growth of the brand was to amalgamate the two elements of their business, retail and gymnasium. The first unit to open an amalgamated store and gym was at Aintree, Liverpool, where a purpose-built scheme houses the two elements side by side.

"The proposed development will result in the provision of an Everlast Fitness Club at the mezzanine level of the existing unit, retaining the ground floor for retail uses (to be occupied by the Sports Direct, USC and Game brands)."

As the proposals would take the retail space of the unit up to nearly 70,000 sq ft, and the site is classed as out of town, a retail assessment and sequential test is also included.

Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

As the applicant is looking for a large unit where a gym and retail store can be co-located, vacant units and undeveloped sites in Rotherham town centre and other local centres have been discounted, mainly for being too small. The sequential test concludes: "there are no more sequentially preferable sites within allocated centres that are suitable or available to accommodate the proposed development"

The development of the vacant unit is the third attempt from Sports Direct to expand in Rotherham. In 2016, the group was looking at the 51,000 sq ft mini-warehouse vacated by B&Q to use for a number of its brands. It is now a car retail site operated by The Trade Centre Group.

In 2018, Sports Direct applied to install a mezzanine level for a gym at the current Matalan store at Parkgate.

Frasers Group website

Images: Everlast Gyms / Facebook

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News: National company spots vacated Rotherham retail unit

A large Rotherham retail unit that has had many uses in recent years is vacant again, but another national chain is working out how to take it on.

Since Homebase at Parkgate Shopping closed a decade ago, the large unit has been used by Best Buy, Kiddicare and as an outdoor sports store.

In 2014 JD Sports Fashion plc took on the lease of the vacated 45,000 sq ft Kiddicare store. It has been used as a clearance outlet for the company's outdoor brands such as Millets and Blacks.

JD went on to submit plans to enable the large unit to be subdivided into four separate units, each with their own entrance, but these works were never carried out. Instead, JD opened in the 15,000 sq ft unit that was previously occupied by Mothercare and the Millets outlet was closed down.

Now a new planning application shows that the Frasers Group is eyeing up the vacant store.

Founded by Mike Ashley in 1982, Frasers Group is now a collection of the world’s most iconic brands - notably Sports Direct, Flannels, GAME and USC.

The plans, drawn up by Jigsaw Planning, show how the unit would be transformed with the installation of a mezzanine comprising of 22,400 sq ft retail floorspace (Class E(a)) and additional 20,400 sq ft gym.

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The main operators would be Sports Direct and Everlast Fitness Club (In 2014 Sports Direct bought out the LA Fitness chain of gyms and underwent a rebranding).

Plans also show large space for designer brand retailer, Flannels, along with smaller space for Evans Cycles and GAME.

As the proposals would take the retail space of the unit up to nearly 90,000 sq ft, and the site is classed as out of town, a retail assessment and sequential test is also included.

Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

As the applicant is looking for a large unit where a gym and retail store can be co-located, vacant units and undeveloped sites in Rotherham town centre and other local centres have been discounted, mainly for being too small. The sequential test concludes: "there are no more sequentially preferable sites within allocated centres that are suitable or available to accommodate the proposed development"

A retail impact assessment indicates that proposals would divert trade, mainly from the existing Parkgate Shopping Park (£7.29m), but adds that this would be "trade currently going to the existing Sports Direct store, which will be closed to facilitate the proposed development."

Meadowhall would also see some trade diverted to the new proposed unit (£5.28m), as would Rotherham town centre.

The assessment concludes: "Using the luxury and sports goods market share information, we have assumed that £2.12m will be diverted from Rotherham Town Centre, against a total turnover of over £140m; this amounts to an impact of just 1.5%."

The development of the vacant unit is the third attempt from Sports Direct to expand in Rotherham. In 2016, the group was looking at the 51,000 sq ft mini-warehouse vacated by B&Q to use for a number of its brands. It is now "the largest car retailer in the whole of Yorkshire" operated by The Trade Centre Group.

In 2018, Sports Direct applied to install a mezzanine level for a gym at the current Matalan store at Parkgate.

Frasers Group's unaudited interim results for the 26 weeks to 24 October 2021 showed that revenue increased to £2,339.8m, in comparison to £1,893.3m in the same period of the previous year. Statutory profit before tax increased to £186m from £106.1m.

Frasers Group website

Images: Google Maps

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News: Sports Direct planning new Rotherham gym

British retailing group, Sports Direct, is working out plans to fit a new gym into Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in August that plans had been submitted to create a new mezzanine level within the existing Matalan unit. New plans now show that the 40,000 sq ft of space is not set to be used just as retail, but also for a new gym.

A subsequent application seeks to the change of use of the unit from Use Class A1 (retail) to include both Use Class A1 (retail) and use class D2 (leisure) to enable no more than 21,500 sq ft of the unit to be used as a gym.

Planning documents state: "It is proposed that the unit will be occupied by an existing retailer on Parkgate Shopping (Sports Direct), who are proposing to trade the gym element of their offer as Everlast (one of their brands) from part of the unit."

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Everlast-branded fitness gyms are fully equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and resistance-training equipment, along with dedicated areas for fitness classes. With 13 Everlast gyms, the firm also operates 24 gyms under its Sports Direct Fitness fascia.

Membership starts at £5 per month.

Planning consultants believe that the proposals would not give rise to material adverse harm, let alone "significant adverse harm" on Rotherham town centre or Parkgate district centre and add that current Rotherham gyms are located within out of centre locations and as such the impact on these facilities is not relevant to national planning impact tests.

A sequential test is also included but consultants have discounted a number of sites in and on the edge of Rotherham town centre that are preferable in planning terms.

Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

Discounted sites include Forge Island, the former Primark store and the former Guest & Chrimes site.

Everlast website

Images: Everlast

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News: Sports Direct target former Rotherham B&Q

British retailing group, Sports Direct is eyeing up a massive retail unit in Rotherham, vacated by B&Q earlier this year, for a number of new stores - if planning permission can be secured.

The 51,000 sq ft mini-warehouse is part of the £6m Northfields Retail Park developed by Henry Boot on brownfield land close to the established Parkgate Shopping retail park.

Having only opened in 2009 after relocating from nearby Thornhill, B&Q closed in June 2016 under plans by the owner, Kingfisher plc to "transform its offer" to customers. The store at Cortonwood in Rotherham remains open.

With agents brought in to extinguish the B&Q leases as quickly and efficiently as possible, a planning application was submitted earlier this year for the change of use of the building from bulky retail to a flexible use within retail, plus a health and fitness club, or a car showroom.

Planning consultants working for Sports Direct have also met with council planners to determine whether the empty building can be redeveloped into units that they would like to see house a Sports Direct store, one for high end fashion subsidiary, Flannels, and two speculative units with mezzanine floors.

The company's own health and fitness club business could also move to the site in a unit created by enclosing the sides of the former covered garden centre.

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The development site has had an interesting planning history. Outline planning permission was granted in October 2006 for a mixed use development of industrial and retail units by the Planning Inspectorate following an appeal against the non-determination of the planning application by the Council. The Planning Inspector imposed a condition so that the units could not be subdivided to create individual units of less than 929 sq m (10,000 sq ft).

Conditions on a 2007 amendment also restricted the type of goods that could be sold at the development. It read: "The retail units shall not be used to sell goods other than (a) DIY and Hardware goods, (b) Furniture and Floor Coverings, (c) Electrical goods" and explicitly said that there could be no sales of retail goods such as food, clothes, footwear, sports equipment and toys.

A response to Sports Direct's plans has now been published online and the Council states that the use of this site for restricted retail sales has been established but more detail would be needed on the type of goods that would be sold from the units.

In line with national planning rules, an assessment would need to be carried out on the impact of the proposed development on other current and planned developments in centres in the area, and on the vitality and viability of Rotherham town centre.

As the site is not located within a designated town, district or local centre, a sequential test assessment will also need to be undertaken. Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

Robert Morrell, senior planner at Rotherham Council, concludes that: "The principle of using the building for uses other than industrial and business has been established under the original permission and the former use of the building, without a Sequential Test and Impact Assessment being submitted it is difficult at this time to indicate whether or not an application could be supported. However, it should be noted that given the type of the retail provision proposed it is likely that it would adversely impact on the vitality and viability of Rotherham town centre and other defined town centres within close proximity of the site."

Aiming to be the "Selfridges" of sports retail, Sports Direct operates a diversified portfolio of sports, fitness, fashion and lifestyle fascias and brands. It has 700 sports stores across the UK and continental Europe, including at nearby Parkgate Shopping, and 80 premium lifestyle stores in the UK. Flannels has plans to open soon in Doncaster.

In the 2016 financial year, the group posted revenues of £2.9bn, and underlying EBITDA (earnings before taxes) of £381.4m. In a tough six months, Sports Direct plc recently reported that pre-tax profits fell 25% to £140.2m.

Sports Direct website

Images: Cushman & Wakefield / Flannels / Facebook

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